Global automotive seating market saw an ASP of roughly USD804 in 2016 with a market size of USD73.6 billion, a figure projected to climb to USD75.9 billion in 2017 and further jump to USD92.5 billion in 2021 as auto market grows steadily.

Global automotive seating market has a high concentration due to technology accuracy and manufacturing difficulties, with over 90% share seized by top 10 seat manufacturers including Adient, Lear, Toyota Boshoku and Faurecia, of which Adient and Lear perch at the first and second place in the world, with a combined share of 43% in global market in 2016.

As auto market developed rapidly, especially new energy vehicle, manufacturers successively expanded capacity through extension or acquisition, aiming at faster global layout and stronger competitive strength. For example, Adient bought seat maker Futuris, and Japanese seat companies like Toyota Boshoku and TACHI co-funded business; Lear set up joint ventures with TACHI-S and NHK Spring, purchased AccuMED Holdings Corp., a special fabrics company in late 2016 and also automotive seat manufacturer Grupo Antolin at the beginning of 2017.

China is the biggest consumer of automotive seating in the world, but its market is dominated by foreign brands like Adient, Lear, Faurecia, Toyota Boshoku and TS. Targeting medium- and high-end markets, these foreign players make layout in China by setting up joint factories with local companies, while Chinese automotive seating brands only concentrate on low-end market due to a technology gap with joint ventures or overseas peers.

In China, automakers co-built by Chinese companies with European, American, Japanese and Korean auto manufacturers, use seats from foreign or joint factories; majority of Chinese auto brands also choose joint ventures as their suppliers; Great Wall, BYD, Chery and Geely adopts a combination model of local manufacturers and joint venture brands. In October 2017, BYD branched out its seating business and founded a new company with Faurecia in Shenzhen. It will use seats produced by the new factory in the future.

In the coming years, foreign seating brands and joint ventures will grab a larger market share as upgrading of consumer demand requires improvement of intelligence and comfort technologies; Chinese seating makers will firmly evolve into joint ventures for supporting upgrade and edge into the supply chains of mainstream automakers, through technological breakthroughs.